Ducks GM backs Carlyle, puts onus on players

Incensed after another couple of lackluster performances in losses this past weekend, Ducks general manager Bob Murray took his team to task and said that blaming coach Randy Carlyle for their current struggles is an "excuse."

Murray has rebuffed calls or suggestions for Carlyle's firing in the past and this time was no different after he spoke with the Register on Monday, following the team's home loss to lowly New Jersey on Friday and its blowout defeat at San Jose on Saturday.

"I've got total faith in Randy," Murray said. "He's won a Stanley Cup. That's not an issue here. It's up to the players. Enough excuses. Talking about coaches and things gives them an excuse when they have no excuses in my eye."

Murray was also quite clear that he isn't averse to making a major personnel shake-up if the Ducks don't start winning soon as he pointed to an upcoming stretch where they play three straight at home and five of the next six at Honda Center.

In other words, the thought breaking off one part of the young core of Ryan Getzlaf, Corey Perry and Bobby Ryan in order to bring in a major piece and shake a team out of its slumber may be entertained.

"Fair question," he said. "Eventually, that's going to have to be in front of this group if they don't get their act together. It's going to be right in front of them. If they don't know that then, well, I feel sorry for them."

"The biggest problem to me is we don't seem to have the right attitude going into hockey games," he said. "The players will not stick with it. These stupid penalties ... taking undisciplined penalties. That goal in San Jose, that can't happen.

"Whether Getzy was pissed off at the linesman because he thought Joe was cheating ... so what. You've got to play the game. And our guys have to stick to the game plan. They can't get frustrated. They've just got to work. They're not working hard enough."

The Ducks have scored just five goals in the first period in their 12 games and have held a lead after the first 20 minutes only once. Murray also pointed to the 2-1 loss to the Devils -- which were 2-7-1 at the time -- as another example of their lack of readiness as New Jersey had the first seven shots of the opening period and dominated play.

"It was a critical game," he said. "But it wasn't only a critical game for New Jersey. It was a critical game for Anaheim. One team came out desperate and the other team did not come out desperate. And that's just unexcusable. There's no excuse for that."

Blaming a poor start on a schedule that had them out of town for eight of the first 12 games of the season is one of those excuses in Murray's view.

"Sometimes I think they're feeling a little sorry for themselves because the schedule has been tough. So what," Murray said. "It's the National Hockey League. You're getting paid a salary. Go out and play.

"Everybody in the Western Conference is going to have tough schedules at certain times. Ours was early. No excuses. You go and you play."

The Ducks still have their structural problems to deal with as their defense could still use a top-four defenseman in light of the injuries to Cam Fowler (neck injury) and Andy Sutton (broken thumb). Fowler, however, is expected to play Wednesday against Tampa Bay.

Another concern is a bottom six forward grouping that is nonproductive and now plagued with injuries. Before they were sidelined, Matt Beleskey (concussion) and Dan Sexton (broken thumb) have one goal between them. Enforcer George Parros has one goal, which is more than Todd Marchant, Kyle Chipchura and Aaron Voros.

The Ducks have abandoned trying to put together three scoring lines and they can't right now as they simply don't have enough offensive-minded forwards. That could be a place to look for immediate help along with the eternal search to upgrade the defense.

Murray said he's been on the phone with teams all around the league and been monitoring those who are technically over the salary cap -- New Jersey, Vancouver, Boston, Calgary -- but have been able put high-salaried players on long-term injured reserve or as he said "some of these teams can afford to just stick big contracts in the minors."

Of those teams over the cap with a surplus of wingers, Boston could be a trading partner once Marco Sturm comes off injured reserve. The Bruins could be faced with either dealing Sturm, Michael Ryder or Blake Wheeler.

"There's not a lot of talk going on right now," Murray said. "We all talk all the time. It's struggling teams talking to struggling teams. In the cap system now, it means everything's got to be dollar for dollar. It's tough. We'll see."

Following the game against the vastly improved Lightning are contests against Pittsburgh on Friday and Nashville on Sunday. If there wasn't pressure on them already, there is a boatload of it now that it's coming from management and the current composition of this team could change if a change in course isn't made.

"For our players on this hockey team, this homestand is critical," Murray said. "I can't be any more blunt."

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